Garbage collection, transportation and disposition has become in modern times a generally expected and recognized municipal government function. As municipalities continue to grow, trash volumes continue to mount, operation costs continue to escalate and demands continue to increase, and more effective and efficient means of handling refuse becomes more important. In areas where municipal services are not available, private refuse collection organizations attach similar significance to efficiency and effectiveness in operation.
Collecting trash or refuse and delivering it to a disposal site has become so prevalent that many trips of each truck are required daily to accomplish the daily task of sanitation departments or organizations. As disposal sites become more and more filled with refuse new and larger sites are required, more commonly at locations further removed from the collection sites. With higher energy costs and operating expenses, the number of trips to a disposal site becomes increasingly critical. The more time that is spend driving to and from a disposal site, the less time is available to garbage pick-up and the more trucks, manpower, operating expenses, and energy costs are expended and therefore the more costly such services become. To prevent such services from becoming costs prohibitive, greater efficiency has been emphasized.
It is well recognized that most garbage trucks are designed to carry heavy loads. However, their weight limit is seldom exceeded before their volume limit is reached. In other words, each truck could handle more refuse per load if the refuse volume can be decreased thus increasing efficiency.
The greater the volume reduction component, the more efficient the collection operation. Many compacting mechanisms are known in the art; the degree of compaction becoming a factor of several variables, including cost, size, mechanism, and principle involved. The more expensive and sophisticated machine makes operations more efficient but initial capital outlay for equipment often becomes cost prohibitive per se.
Well recognized in the art is the necessity to compact refuse prior to disposal for efficiency. Bulk refuse is generally hand delivered in relatively small quantities to the compacting mechanism or is delivered by smaller trucks in larger volumes to a larger compacting unit for volume reduction through crushing and compacting the refuse and discharging the compacted material to a storage and conveying vehicle which disposes of a load when filled to capacity. Again, volume limits are generally reached well prior to weight limits generally because of inefficient compacting means. Consequently efficiency is also limited.
Generally, garbage trucks utilize a hopper section for receiving loose household refuse, a scraping and compacting mechanism to compact the trash and a storage compartment to hold the compacted trash for later discharge. The universally recognized problems are insufficient compaction and high cost of equipment. The present invention utilizes the recognition that greater compaction efficiency can be realized by compacting small quantities of trash before transferring it to a separate storage compartment. Prepacting the refuse increases efficiency. Also, smaller compacting units are less expensive.